Student Opportunities
In the Amp Lab ecosystem, students don’t just pretend to do real work, they live it. With successes and failures alike, Amp Lab students build a culture that has a bias to action, sees problems as opportunities and takes advantage of authentic and immersive learning environments.
Embedded Work-Based Learning
Build, Design, Create, Lead
Students can gain school credit for helping a real company launch a product, design an exhibit or run a marketing campaign. At Amp Lab, that’s exactly what Embedded Work-Based Learning is all about.
Students step inside real businesses, organizations, and startups to solve challenges. They are not viewed just as interns, but as creative collaborators.
From idea to execution, students are involved in every phase:
- Action planning
- Strategic development
- Prototype creation
- Product launch
130+ Industry Partners and Growing
Amp Lab students have worked with over 130 businesses, nonprofits, entrepreneurs and government agencies bringing fresh ideas and skills into professional environments.
Here are just a few of the incredible things our students have built:
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Fort Wayne Zoo
Students helped design and build a new exhibit for the African Journey. -
Aunt Millie’s Bakery
Teams conducted research and development testing for a new food product. -
Citilink
Students contributed to marketing strategy, campaign creation and data analytics to help improve local transportation. -
Local Entrepreneurs
Provided product prototyping, strategic development and marketing services to help bring innovative ideas to life.
Student Venture Creation
Launching Real Businesses at Amp Lab
At Amp Lab, students don’t just learn about entrepreneurship, they live it. Whether it’s a small side hustle or a scalable start-up, students have the unique opportunity to create, own and operate real businesses.
Through hands-on experience they identify problems and develop innovative products, services or solutions that deliver value.
Program Highlights:
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Over 300 student-led business ideas launched since 2022.
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A dynamic environment that blends creativity, problem-solving and market testing.
Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
An entrepreneurial ecosystem for Amp Lab is the community of people, resources and opportunities surrounding the program that helps students turn ideas into real projects or businesses. It includes the teachers who guide them, the industry partners who provide challenges and mentorship, the labs and equipment they use to create and test ideas, the funding and support available for student ventures and the network of local organizations that connect students to real-world experience. Together, these elements create an environment where students can explore problems, develop solutions and learn how entrepreneurship works in practice.
Off-Site Work-Based Learning
Amp Lab students are able to put their entrepreneurial spirit to work in internships, apprenticeships and work study. From large corporations to entrepreneurs and covering all 16 career clusters, Amp Lab students are able to gain valuable experience doing high level work immersed in an off-site experience.
School-Based Enterprise
Dual Credit Partnerships
Amp Lab and the Pearl Arts Innovation Institute offer students the chance to earn college credits while still in high school through partnerships with Indiana Tech and the University of Saint Francis.
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Amp Lab + Indiana Tech:
Students with a 2.0 GPA or higher can earn an 18-credit Business Leadership Certificate, covering management, marketing, entrepreneurship, finance and more. -
Pearl Arts + University of Saint Francis:
Eligible students can earn 9 credits in music technology and communication.
Our Studios
Make
The Parkview Mirro Center for Research and Innovation Make Studio gives students the opportunity to solve problems across engineering, manufacturing and fabrication disciplines.
Create
The Surack Family Foundation Create Studio connects students to resources and skillsets across the creative economy. From traditional art, animation, graphic design, photography and videography.
Venture
The 3Rivers Federal Credit Union Venture Studio connects students to resources and skillsets in marketing, product development, finance and data analytics.
Grow
The Grow Studio gives students the opportunity to solve problems in a science research & development lab.
